Touch Pro 2 Camera Revisited

We decided to revisit the Touch Pro 2's camera, this time using Sprint's version of the phone. The T-Mobile Touch Pro 2's camera was nice, and we were curious how Sprint's measured up.

Software associated with the camera was virtually identical. You still lack the presence of a physical shutter button and instead have a shutter symbol on the screen to tap. The focal point is movable and, as with the T-Mobile version, there is no front-facing camera.

Follow the break for some sample shots as well as a sample video.

Unless otherwise noted, each photo is as it would appear straight from the Touch Pro 2 expect for being re-sized for publication.

The biggest difference I see with the Sprint TP2 camera is that it has a higher noise (grain) level and the white balance is a little warmer indoors (yellowish color cast). Here are two similar shots, the first taken with the Sprint TP2 and the second with T-Mobile's TP2.

Outdoors the camera performs noticeably better.

While there are some quality issues present with photos straight from the Touch Pro 2, processing software improves sharpness as well as other quality aspects. The first is the un-processed photo while the second has been edited for shadows, highlights, white balance and sharpness.

We received a few comments and e-mails asking about the video quality on the Touch Pro 2. We were remiss in not offering a sample video from T-Mobile's TP2 but won't make the same mistake with Sprint's.

While we won't be making an appearance at the Sundance Film Festival with our sample footage, the video cameras performance was marginal. Sound quality from the phone's microphone picked up my voice well, and it did the same with ambient noise. I didn't have to raise my voice above a normal tone. Focusing was a little slow to keep pace with camera movements, causing softness in the image.

The video seemed to take a little longer than usual to adjust to different lighting conditions.

All in all, the Sprint Touch Pro 2's camera is about on par with the T-Mobile TP2's camera.

Image quality is good, the software package has a good number of features and settings. If the camera's performance is an important aspect of your Windows Mobile phone, you'll be pleased with the Sprint (and T-Mobile) Touch Pro 2's performance.

Interesting conclusions since the camera module in both is identical! It is possible manufacturing variations caused a spectral sensitivity shift in the camera sensor as well as an overall sensitivity change, but I don't think so.

In the image comparison, it's obvious that the amount light changed between the two exposures, not uncommon with an indoor scene with a significant component of outdoor light through windows. Also, a major component of the scene changed: the imaged area of the dark blanket. Among other things, the DOF of the first image was increased due to a shorter exposure time. As a result, I don't think your conclusions in the first comparison are supported.

Do you have a Macbeth ColorChecker chart or a MTF chart that you could use to add some hard measurements to the images?

The grid on the phone has two uses. First, it can be used to make sure the horizons in your shots are flat. Second, do a google search for the rule of thirds and you'll see exactly what the grid's for. Basically, our eyes are naturally drawn to the points at which the lines on the grid intersect, so you can take more interesting photos by putting your subject on one of those points.

The camera is, hum. Not bad but not great either. It works well when there is a lot of light but not so well in dim light or at night. It is suitable for taking snapshots of friends and informal like that, but not really so impressive camera phone standards.